Control means for lighter mechanism



May 31, 1938; T. L. F ERRALL 2,119,385

CONTROL MEANS FOR LIGHTER MECHANISM Filed Jan. 18 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I'NVENTOR' ATTORNEYS May 31, 1938. 'r. L. FERRALL 2,119,335

CONTRbIJ MEANS FOR LIGHTER MECHANISM Fi led Jan. 18, 1954 I s Sheets-Sheet 2 I? I INVENTOR ATTO RNEYJ May 31, 1938. 'r. 1.. FERRALL CONTROL-MEANS FOR LIGHTER MECHANISM Filed Jan. 18, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 mvsmon 7'40! as 4 Fc rra/I PILOT THERMOSTA TIC VAL V55 PILOT PILOT W A/ l j 6 n/ W BURNER ATTORNEYS Patented May 31, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONTROL MEANS FOR LIGHTER MECHANISM Thomas L. Ferrall, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Roberts Brass Manufacturing Company, Detroit, Mich a corporation of Michigan Application January 18, 1934, Serial No. 707,183

4 Claims.

The invention relates to lighters for gas stoves andmore particularly to constructions providing for the lighting of a plurality of different burners.

such pilotbefore the burners can be operated. It.

ill?

Fig. 4 is a section throughthe main gas control valve; l

Fig. 5 is a section through the pilot control valve showing a slightly modified construction;

Fig.. 6 is a side elevation of one of the pilots;

Fig. 7 is a diagram illustrating another modiflcation. I W As my lighter control means is applicable to various gas stoves without regard to the specific construction of the same, it is unnecesary to illustrate such construction further than to show some of the burners and the lighters therefor. Thus as shown in Fig. 1, A is the main gas supply conduit for the gas stove, Bis one of the top burners of the stove receiving its supply of gas from the conduit A and provided with the usual mixing 7 tube C and controlling valve D. E is the valve a controlling the oven burners (not shown) this being also supplied with gas from the'conduit A. The. burner B is one of a group, the others of which are not shown and all of which are automatically lighted from a single pilot flame. The lighter construction comprises a jet tube F with which extend to each of the burners B and are soconstructed as to receive gas therefrom. The arrangemen't is such that when ever the valve D is so open to supply the burner B with gas, a jet of gas is directed into the tube J producing a combustib le mixture therein which extends to the pilot, thereby efiecting propagation of thepilot flame to the burner.

For lighting the oven burner I have provided a lighter mechanismcomprising a pilot jet K mounted upon a vertical mixing tube L having a laterally extending perforated tube L' which extends into the oven and into lighting proximity with theburner therein. The mixing tube L re- -'ceives gas from a conduit M which is connected to the valve E for the oven burner, the arrangement being such that whenever said valve is open to supply gas to the burner, gas will also pass through the tube M to the mixing tube 'L and laterally extending perforated tube L. The tube L has a jet aperture L in the top thereof which directs gas towards the pilot K and perforations of the tube L, thereby causing the propagation of flame from the jet inward to the burner. The

elements Land K are preferably located between the outer wall and the lining of the oven, so as to protect the pilot flame from drafts and as will be later explained, to conduct away any escaping gas into the chimney flue.

My automatic control mechanism comprises a shut-off valve N. located in the main supply conduit A. This valve as shown in Fig. 4 has an apertured seat N and a cooperating valve disk N, which latter is mounted on a stem N passing outward through a packing gland N. A spring N bearing against the disk N serves to yieldably hold said disk to its seat. Aligned with the stem N is an operatingrod 0 which passes over the pilot light and is slidably supported in a bifurcated bracket 1 extending upward from the bracket I. At the outer end of the rod 0 is an operating knobO' which when pressed will actuate the'stem N to force the valve disc N away from inounted on the tube G. The bend in this bar is above the pilot light from the jet tube F and under normal conditions when the pilot is lighted, will be heated so that its free end is bent upward adjacent to the rod 0. O is a collar on the rod 0 adapted to engage the end of the bar P to hold the valve disc N in open position. Thus as long .as the pilot is lighted the valve N when once opened by operation of the'rod 0 will remain open, thereby supplying gas to the. burners I of the stove. As soon, however, as the pilot flame is extinguished the bar P .will'cool and bend downward so as to disengage the collar and permit the spring N to close the valve.

The pilot for the oven burner is provided with a similar control comprising a U-shaped bi-metal thermostatic bar Q arranged above the flame from the jet tube K. Instead, however, of using this control for operating a valve in the main supply conduit, it controls a valve R which supplies gas to the jet tube F. The arrangement is such that the pilot flame from the jet tube K by expanding the bar Q will hold the valve R in open position where gas is supplied to the jet tube F through a conduit R, but if the flamefrom the jet K is extinguished, this will effect the closing of the valve R which in turn will extinguish the flame from the jet tube F, bringing about the closing of the valve N as previously described.

The supply of gas to the valve R may if desired be taken from the portion A of the pipe A which is beyond the valve N and supplies the burners. Such a connection is indicated at S (Fig. 5).- Inasmuch, however, as the pilot K is preferably located between the lining and outer wall of the oven, which space is connected with the chimney flue, it is not so important to out 01f the supply of gas thereto In other words, the small discharge of gas from such jet will be'rapidly carried away and up the chimney without permitting escape int'o'the room or the forming of an explosive mixture in the oven. Therefore I preferably connect the valve R with the conduit A on the supply side of the valve N, so that at all times gas will be furnished to the nozzle K.

As shown, this is accomplished by forming the valve N with a nipple N to which is connected a pipe It leading to the valve R, said nipple being on the gas supply side of the valve N.

For certain uses, as for instance hotel gas ranges, the number of top burners is more than can be lighted from a single pilot. Thus, as shown in Fig. 2, the burners B, B}, B and B are all lighted from the pilot F through the flame conducting tubes J, J, J and J In addition to these burners, there are two or more burners, B

and B, which must be lighted from a separate pilot. For such a construction I remove the control rod 0 from the pilot F and arrange it in connection with a pilot T for lighting the burners B and B The valve N is also transferred in position so as to be operated by therod O, as previously described, but to be directly controlled by the thermostat of the pilot T. The thermostat of the pilot F controls a valve U which is similar in construction to the valve R and which supplies gas to the pilot T through. a conduit T. With this construction, if any one of the pilot lights is extinguished, this will cause the closing of the valve N which will shut oi! the supply of gas to all of the burners. If the extinguished pilot is from the jet K, then gas will be cut 011 from the pilots F and T, but the jet K will still be supplied with gas so that it may be readily ignited. If the pilot F is extinguished, this will cut off the supply of gas to the pilot T, which will cause the closing of the valve N, but gas will still be supplied to the jet of the extinguished pilot. In the same manner, if'the pilot T is extinguished, this 4 will cause the closing of the valve N, but will per;

mit the pilots K and F to continue burning and will supply gas to the ext s hed pilot T. Thus it will be noted that with this construction as well as with the construction previously described,

there is only one extinguished pilot. which can I be still supplied with gas. Thus the amount of gas which can be discharged is not sum cient to the pilots indicated in Fig. 5, leakage of gas fromany pilot is prevented but to relight the jets it would be necessary to hold the valve N open by pressure on the knob 0' for a sufiicient length of time to successively heat up all of the thermostats. There is therefore an advantage in the use of the construction of the connection shown in Fig. 1, as with this there is always a supply of gas to the jet K which can be instantaneously lighted and in case the other pilots have been extinguished they may be successively lighted until the last of the series is reached. The knob 0' may then be operated toopen the valve N" pilot W controls the thermostatic valve W both of which are in a gas supply line W for a third pilot W". The lattercontrols Zhe main valve N which is opened by theoperati g rod 0.

With this construction the extinguishing of any one of the pilots will bring about the closing of the main valve-N inthe same way as in the constructions previously described. Also, the extinguishing of either of the pilots W or W will cut off the gas supply to the pilot W". There is, however, this difference from the constructions previously described, that the pilots W and W are constantly supplied with gas so that either one may be instantly lighted if it has been extinguished. This, while rendering it possible to have two extinguished pilots supplied with gas, nevertheless has the advantage of greater ease in relighting than with the constructions previously described, which require successive lighting of the pilots.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In combination, a burner, a pilot in lighting proximity to said burner, asecond burner, a pilot in lighting proximity to said second burner, a gas supply conduit for said burners, a spring pressed valve controlling the flow of gas through said conduit to said burners, a second spring pressed valve, a conduit for conducting gas from the supply side of said supply conduit to the second valve, branch conduits for conducting gas from the second valve to the pilots, the branch conduit to the second pilot being upon the supply side of the second valve, the branch conduit to the first pilot being upon the discharge side of said second valve, a heat responsive element in position to be heated by the second mentioned pilot when lighted, an automatic push rod movable by the heat responsive element when heated by the second mentioned pilot foropening the second mentioned valve, said second mentioned valve being movable by its spring to closed position to cut off the supply of gas to the first mentioned pilot when the second mentioned pilot is extinguished, a manually operable push rod for opening the first mentioned valve. said rod extending over the first mentioned pilot and having a collar, and a heat responsive element in positionto be heated by the first mentioned pilot and a aaa movable into and out of the path of theooll ar, said last mentioned heat responsive element being operable after the manually operable rod has been pushed and the first mentioned pilot has been lighted to move into the path of and engage; the collar'so that the first mentioned valve will.

be held in open position, and being operable when the first mentionedpilot is extinguished to move out of -engagement with the collar so that the first, mentioned valve may be moved by its spring to closed position.

2. The combination with a plurality of burners,

,a gas supply conduit therefor, a pilot for lighting certain of said burners, a.valve controlling the flow of gas through the conduit to said burners,

' a spring tending to close saidvalve, a manually j operable push rod for opening said valve, said' rod extending over the pilot and having a collar, a

heat responsive element in position to be heated by the pilot and movable into and out of the path of the-collar, said heat'responsiveelement being operable after the rod has been pushedand the pilot has been lighted to move into the path of and'engage the collar so that the valve will be held in open position and being operable whenthe pilot is extinguished to move out 'of engagement with the collar so that the valve, may be moved by the spring to closed position, two more pilots for lighting other oi said burners; means on, the

supply'side of the valve for conducting gas to" said last mentioned two pilots, a conduitiior conducting gas ,from one ofsaidllastmentionedtwo pilots to thefirst mentioned=pilot, ;thermostatic valve means in said last mentioned 'con'duitresponsive to the heat of one of ,saidi la'st mentioned two pilots, v and other. thermostatic valve jmean's within said last mentioned conduit responsive t the heat of thelother of-said ast; mentioned two pilots, the arrangement beingfsuch" that the *sup ply of gas to the first mentioned pilot will-becut off when either of the last mentioned two pilots is extinguished, thus causing, the ffirst mentioned pilot to be extinguished so that the spring ,for the first mentioned valve will-close the sameand cut off the supply of gas to the burners.

3. In combination, a bu'rnen'a pilot in lighting proximity to said burnenfa second burner, a

pilot in lightingproximity to said second burner,

-a gas supply conduitfor said burners, a valve controlling the flow or gas through saidlconduit to said burners, a second valve, a conduit for conducting gasirom the supply side oisaid supply conduit to the second valve; branchconduits for conducting gas from the second" valve to the pilots, the branch conduit to the econaipuo pe ing upon the supplysideof thelsecond valve,;the, branchconduit to the first pilot bein'gfi'upon the heat re-' 7 discharge side of said second valv,-a

sponsive element in position to be heated by the second mentioned pilot when lighted means movable by the heat responsive element when heated by the second mentioned pilot'for opening the beenpushed and the first mentioned pilot has: been lighted to move into the pathof and engage the projection so that the first mentioned valve will be held in' open position, and being operable when the first mentioned pilot is extinguished to move out of engagement with the projection so that the first mentioned valve may be moved to closed position.

. 4. The combination with a plurality of burners, a gas supply conduit therefor, a pilot for lighting certain of saidburners, a valve controlling the How of gas through the conduitto said burners, a manually operable rod for opening said valve, said rod having a projection, a

heat responsive-element in' position to be heated [by-the pilot and'movable into and out oi the i path of the projection, said heat responsive ele-' ment being operabieafter the rod has been actuated and the pilot has been lighted to move into the path of and engage the projection so thatthe valve will be held in open position and being operable when the pilot is extinguished to move out of engagement with the projection so that the valve may be moved to closed. position, two

more pilots for lighting other of said burners,

means on the supply side 01' thevalve for conducting gas to said last mentioned two pilots, a

conduit for conducting gas from one at said last Y mentioned two pilots to the first mentioned pilot,

thermostatic valve means in said last mentioned conduit responsive to the heat of one of said last mentioned two pilots, and other thermostatic valve means within said last mentioned conduit responsive to the heat of the other of said last mentioned two pilots, the arrangement being such that the supply 01 gas to the first mentioned pilot will becut ofl when either or the last mentioned two pilots is'extinguished, thus causing the first mentioned pilot to be xtineguished so that the first mentioned valve will and cut on the supply 01 gas to the burners.

*rn'oikas L. FERRAIL. 

